In this role, Maginn will be responsible for a number of special projects related to new initiatives at Notre Dame and certain projects that are already underway that will strengthen the support systems within .

“I am honored to be asked to serve as an associate vice president for research,” said Maginn. “Notre Dame’s research enterprise is strong and growing stronger every year. This is the direct result of the hard work, creativity and innovation of our faculty, staff��and students. Notre Dame Research plays a key role in helping our researchers reach their full potential as scholars who make a difference in the world. I am excited to be a part of the Notre Dame Research team to help advance the University’s mission of excellence in research.”

Maginn has been on the Notre Dame faculty since 1995 and, until last year, served as chair of his department. In addition, he has served as associate dean for academic programs in the Graduate 91��Ƶ. He is the winner of the James A. Burns, C.S.C., Graduate 91��Ƶ Award and the John A.�� Kaneb Award for Outstanding Teaching.��

Maginn’s research focuses on developing and utilizing advanced molecular-level simulation methods to discover the link between the chemical structure and composition of materials and their thermophysical properties. Much of his lab’s efforts are devoted to energy and environmental applications.

“I am grateful that Ed has agreed to join Notre Dame Research at this time,” said , vice president for research and professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering. “While his own research and teaching are flourishing, Ed has agreed to help support the research programs across campus at this very important time. For that, we are very grateful.”

Originally published by Joanne Fahey at on April 27.

“In the face of a most difficult year, Notre Dame’s faculty and staff continued to actively pursue scholarship opportunities that reflect our mission to be a force for good in the world, both in the creation and application of knowledge,” said , vice president for research and professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering. “One indicator of the increasing competitiveness of our programs is indicated by the growth of research funding awards received by the University. We also believe that the breadth and depth of this year’s portfolio of funded programs indicate that the type of programs funded this year will be sustainable into the future.”

Among some of the largest new awards to the University were:

• A nearly (USAID) to the in the to conduct research that strengthens education systems in low- and middle-income countries by working with USAID missions, local scholars and higher education institutions.��
• A $6 million grant from the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership to the for the AnalytiXIN University Talent Recruitment program, which together with Indiana University and Purdue University will drive growth in AI and analytics in Indiana.
• More than $4 million to the from Carrier Global Corporation to research new technologies for improving the efficiency of commercial refrigerant compressors, including new compressor designs and alternative refrigerants.
• A $4. to the (NDISC) in the to facilitate the NDISC’s continuing research efforts to broaden and deepen the study of grand strategy, including how the United States and other great powers use military means to advance their foreign policy objectives.��
• A $3 million grant from the W.M. Kellogg Foundation to the within the to continue and expand early-grade literacy and social and emotional learning programs, improve early childhood development programming and create sustainable change by leveraging three systems that most directly affect children's lives: the home, the school and the church.

Faculty and staff from the other colleges and schools, as well as centers, institutes and core facilities, contributed to the record-breaking total. However, STEM researchers at Notre Dame experienced some of the strongest growth, with the College of Engineering growing by $22 million and the College of Science by $16 million in the last year alone. Contributing to this total were the following new grants:

• More than $3 million from the Department of Defense to the in the for the (REDI-NET), which aims to address surveillance needs to effectively detect, predict and contain potentially emergent diseases or infections that are naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans.��
• Nearly $2 million from the Department of Agriculture to the in the to build data-driven supports for increasing access and healthy food choices in low-income neighborhoods.

“These awards represent an important milestone for the University of Notre Dame. They also reflect the extraordinary vision of our faculty and their scholarly creativity and leadership,” said , the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost at the University of Notre Dame. “It is our honor to provide a home for these research endeavors as our faculty advance the knowledge frontier and develop solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing our world.”

Approximately 54 percent of the research awards came from federal funding, while 27 percent came from foundations or other sponsors and 19 percent came from industry. Overall, Notre Dame’s externally funded research had a global footprint of 52 awards received for research in 34 different countries, totaling $37.8 million.��

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To explore more about external research funding at Notre Dame, please visit .

Clark will be responsible for research development, including assisting faculty in creating a successful research portfolio, collaborating with federal and military research agency advisors and leading a team of proposal development specialists.

“As a faculty member who also runs an extramurally funded experimental research lab,” Clark said, “I am excited to work with the wider Notre Dame Research (NDR) development and administration teams in order to help connect faculty to emerging funding opportunities while also continuing to grow as a scholar in my field. I am eager to continue the tremendous positive trajectory we are on for research growth at Notre Dame.”��

Clark, who has been on the Notre Dame faculty since 2001, is a biochemist whose research laboratory uses a wide range of biophysical and other approaches to investigate protein folding in the cell. While at Notre Dame, she has received more than $14 million in research funding. From 2013 to 2018, Clark led a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research network composed of eight laboratories at seven universities. Currently, research in her laboratory is funded by grants from NIH and the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Clark founded the Biophysics Graduate Program in 2018, which she led until earlier this year. She has received multiple awards throughout her career, including a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award and the Barany Award from the Biophysical Society. She has also twice received Notre Dame’s Joyce Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.��

“I am thrilled to welcome Patricia to the NDR team as our new associate vice president for research development,” said , vice president for research and professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering. “Her perspective as an active researcher with extensive federal funding, both historic and active, will be invaluable both to our early career faculty, who will look to her and her team for mentoring, and to our senior faculty contemplating multi-investigator, multi-university grants and contracts.”��

Notre Dame Research’s assists faculty in developing a successful research portfolio. The team provides faculty with expert guidance on connecting to potential resources, collaborators and funding, as well as cultivating relationships with federal, state and corporate funding agencies. The team also serves Notre Dame faculty by helping to develop high quality, competitive proposals that lead to success. As part of the offered by Notre Dame Research, the development team assists individual faculty or faculty teams with complex proposals, including reviews by technical experts.

Clark will replace Richard E. Billo, professor of computer science and engineering, who has served in the role since 2013. Billo contributed significantly to the dramatic growth of research awards during this period, helping to double award funding from more than $90 million to over $180 million in 2019, in addition to driving a dynamic internal awards program.

“Richard’s responsibilities included assisting faculty in identifying research funding opportunities and then helping them to secure funding from those opportunities,” Bernhard said. “Richard has been an integral part of, and in some cases the leader of, the efforts that have enabled our substantial growth. I want to personally thank him for his efforts on behalf of the University.”

More information is available at .

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Originally published by Joanne Fahey at on June 17, 2021.

The awardees are:

• Matthew Donahue, a biological sciences and theology major and��a member of the Glynn Family Honors Program, will complete a master of science in environmental science at University College Dublin.
• Gwenyth Gasper, a neuroscience and behavior major, will complete a master of science in diagnostics and precision medicine at Dublin City University.
• Theresa Rogers, a mechanical engineering major with a minor in philosophy, will complete a master of science in biomedical engineering at Trinity College Dublin.
• Mariana Silva, an environmental engineering major with a theology minor, as well as a Brennan Family Merit Scholar, will complete a master’s of engineering in environmental engineering at Trinity College Dublin.
• Abigail White, an environmental sciences major with a minor in theology, will complete a master of science in environmental science at Trinity College Dublin.

The students will be joined by Gemma Stanton, class of 2019, who was awarded the fellowship in 2020 but deferred due to the pandemic. She will complete a master of engineering science in water, waste��and environmental engineering at University College Dublin.

“In these challenging times, we are even more grateful to the Naughtons for supporting the University’s ability to offer this transformative opportunity to our students,” said , the Rev. John A. Zahm Professor and Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry��and the Naughton Fellowship committee chair. “It is heartening to witness the passions these students have for their respective and important fields. I am confident this will be a life-changing experience for them and, in turn, their research will lead to learning and growth in their chosen fields of study.”��

The fellowships, which were created with a generous gift from the Naughton family of Ireland in 2008, facilitate cross-cultural training for exceptional students with leadership potential in STEM fields, stimulate collaborative research among the engineers and scientists who train these students, and forge deeper and stronger ties between Ireland and the U.S. They are typically offered at undergraduate, master’s��and faculty level. More information can be found at .��

Originally published by Joanne Fahey at on May 18.

The mission of the fellowships, which were founded in 2008 with a gift from the Naughton family, is to facilitate broad cross-cultural training for exceptional students with leadership potential in STEM fields, stimulate collaborative research among the engineers and scientists who train these students, and forge deeper and stronger ties between Ireland and the U.S.

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many of this year’s awardees have been impacted by travel restrictions. Speaking about this unprecedented year and its impact on the fellows, , the Rev. John A. Zahm Professor of Structural Biology and director of the , said, “Although this year’s fellowships look quite different than in the past, we are proud of our students and scholars and the work they are doing to advance STEM discoveries in their respective fields. We are so very thankful to the Naughton family for their continued support of this program, especially during these challenging days.”

The 2020 Naughton Fellowship awardees are as follows:

Faculty

For the first time, faculty have been awarded Naughton Fellowships through the Faculty Research Accelerator program. The mission of the program is to catalyze and support collaborations at the leading research universities of Ireland and the University of Notre Dame in order to foster deeper and stronger ties between both the institutions and the two countries.��

The five inaugural awardees are:

and of the University of Notre Dame, together with Colin Hill of University College Cork (UCC), for a project titled, “Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) to improve virome resolution.”

Laoise McNamara of the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), together with of Notre Dame, for a project aiming to identify biomechanical cues in bone, which affect metastatic tumor growth for the identification of potential biological or mechanical means to prevent or reverse metastatic bone disease.

Due to the ongoing challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and related travel restrictions, it is anticipated that in-person, collaborative research will be delayed for the immediate future.

Masters

Aisling Cahill, who has an electronic and computer engineering degree from NUIG, will complete the Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship Excellence Masters (ESTEEM) program at Notre Dame.

Harry Crowley, who holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Trinity College Dublin��in mechanical engineering, will complete the ESTEEM program at Notre Dame.

Cara Fitzpatrick, a Notre Dame pre-professional studies and psychology major, will complete a master’s degree in biomedical sciences in neuroscience at NUIG.

Mary Glass, a neuroscience and behavior major at Notre Dame, will complete a master’s degree in clinical neuroscience at NUIG.

Alannah Hill, a UCC graduate in process and chemical engineering, will complete the ESTEEM program at Notre Dame.

Shay O’Malley, a biomedical engineering graduate from NUIG, will complete the ESTEEM program at Notre Dame.

Gemma Stanton, a Notre Dame civil engineering major, will complete a master of engineering and science in water, waste, and environment at University College Dublin.

Vy Sanders, a neuroscience and behavior major at Notre Dame, will complete a master of science in cognitive science at University College Dublin.

While the coronavirus pandemic continues, it is anticipated that all selected students will attend their individual programs either in person or remotely depending on what their relevant universities require.

Undergraduate

This year, 10 undergraduate students were awarded summer fellowships to complete a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, either in Ireland or at Notre Dame. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, these programs were unable to proceed.

However, the names of the students who were awarded these fellowships are as follows:

From Notre Dame

Joseph Dragonjac

Claire King

Christina Minetos

Nora Nelson

Margaret Roccato

John Sayut

John Swift

Jack Walsh

From Ireland

Tadhg Crowley

Oran McElligott

Speaking about the cancellations of the REU Program, Baker said, “For those students who had their research experiences abroad canceled, we commend them for the grace with which they handled this disappointment. We hope that this is not the end of the road for their Naughton Fellowship experiences and we encourage them to consider the program again in the future.”

The Naughton Fellowship Program allows students with a background in, or aptitude for, STEM fields to experience international research and educational opportunities through a funded exchange program involving the University of Notre Dame and some of Ireland’s leading research universities. Irish undergraduates, master's students, and doctoral��candidates can come to Notre Dame on the fellowship, while Notre Dame undergraduates, master's students��and doctoral��candidates can travel to Ireland to study and complete research.

For more information, including how to apply, see .

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Originally published by Joanne Fahey at on June 24.

Speaking about this year’s awardees, , the Rev. John A. Zahm Professor of Structural Biology and director of the Naughton Fellowships, said, “The Naughton Fellowships’ candidate pool gets stronger every year and I am thrilled to note that this year was no different. Our diverse students represent the best and brightest from across Ireland and the University of Notre Dame. I look forward to witnessing their ongoing and forthcoming research achievements.”��

The 2019 Naughton Fellowship awardees are as follows:

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Evan Cannon, who has a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the National University of Ireland, Galway, will complete the Engineering, Science��and Technology Entrepreneurship Excellence Masters (ESTEEM) program at the University of Notre Dame.

Niamh Collins, who has a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University College Cork, will complete the ESTEEM program at Notre Dame.

Mark Etzelmueller, an electrical engineering graduate from Notre Dame, will study in the bioengineering program at Trinity College Dublin.

Sam Gray, who has a doctoral degree in medicine and a master’s degree of neuroscience from Trinity College Dublin, will complete the ESTEEM program at Notre Dame.

Ellen Joyce, who has a bachelor’s degree in management and information system studies from Trinity College Dublin, will complete the ESTEEM program at Notre Dame.

Henry Perillo, a recent graduate of biological sciences at Notre Dame, will undertake a master's��in��environmental sciences at Trinity College Dublin.

Undergraduate

Joseph Carthy, an engineering student at University College Dublin, will complete research on energy recovery for low-level computation at the University of Notre Dame.��

Patrick Cremin, an electrical engineering major at Notre Dame, will complete research on biomedical optics and optical engineering at University College Dublin.

Claudine Duggan, a biology student at University College Dublin, will undertake research in biology at Notre Dame.

Jack Enright, a physics student at University College Cork, will complete experimental nuclear physics research at Notre Dame.��

William Hearne, a chemical and biomolecular engineering major at Notre Dame, will study ammonia synthesis routes for his research at Trinity College Dublin.

Muireann Hoare, an engineering major at University College Cork, will undertake research on nanoelectronic devices and circuits at Notre Dame.

Thomas Kacius, a biochemistry student at Notre Dame, will complete a research project called “Asymmetric synthesis of pharmaceutically important – lactones” at Dublin City University.

Dawn Kelly, an engineering student at Trinity College Dublin, will complete research on a project called “Chemical sensor for fluid dynamic and environmental applications” at the University of Notre Dame.

Conor Lawlor, a biology student at Dublin City University, will undertake research in biology at Notre Dame.

Cian Levy, an engineering major at Trinity College Dublin, will undertake research on a project titled “Profiling of homomorphic encryption in secure data mining” at Notre Dame.

Emily McGill, a physics student at Dublin City University, will complete physics research at��Notre Dame.

Madeline Owen, a Notre Dame Stamps Scholar with a neuroscience and behavior major, as well as a poverty studies minor and a Glynn Family Honors program minor��at the University of Notre Dame, will complete a research project entitled “characterizing the role of bone marrow stem cells” at Trinity College Dublin.

Vy Ngugen Sanders, a science preprofessional student at Notre Dame, will undertake a research project on microbiology and immunology at Trinity College Dublin.��

Zoe Tulauskus, a biochemistry major at Notre Dame, will undertake a research project called “The role of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and their potential as vaccine candidates” at University College Dublin.

Abigale Wood, a science preprofessional and psychology student at the University of Notre Dame, will undertake research on “A new method for the synthesis of prostaglandin analogue” at Dublin City University.

Additionally, one Clark Fellowship was awarded to Luke Tholen, an electrical engineering student at the University of Notre Dame, who will research uranyl complexes at Trinity College Dublin.

Founded in 2008 with an $8 million gift from the Naughton family, the Naughton Fellowship program facilitates broad cross-cultural training for exceptional students with leadership potential in select fields, stimulates collaborative research among the engineers and scientists who train these students, and forges deeper and stronger ties between Ireland and the United States.

“It is thanks to the vision and support of the Naughton family that these students will have the opportunity to grow and expand their scholarship abroad. We are grateful for their continued support of this life-changing program,” Baker said.

The Naughton Fellowship program allows students with a background in��or aptitude for��STEM��fields to experience international research and educational opportunities through a funded exchange program involving the University of Notre Dame and some of Ireland’s leading research universities. Irish undergraduates, master's students��and doctoral candidates can come to Notre Dame on the fellowship, while Notre Dame undergraduates, master's students��and doctoral candidates can travel to Ireland to study and complete research.

For more information, including how to apply, visit��.

Originally published by Joanne Fahey at on June 17.

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Speaking about this year’s awardees,��, Rev. John A. Zahm Professor of Structural Biology and director of the Naughton Fellowships, said, “The newest Naughton Fellows represent all that the Naughton Fellowship stands for – exceptional scholarship, an ambassadorial spirit��and a commitment to the advancement of STEM research both in the U.S. and in Ireland. I am delighted to welcome these new students to our community and congratulate them on their achievements thus far.”

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Baker continued, “Further, I would like to thank the Naughton Family for their continual support of this program. It is because of their vision – and their dedication – that the fellowships, and these students, continue to flourish.”

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The 2018 Naughton Fellowship awardees are as follows:

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Ph.D.

Kelvin M. Figueroa-Ibrahim, a Ph.D. student in at the University of Notre Dame, and Eoghan Ross, a Ph.D. student in at Trinity College Dublin, will work on a project entitled “Dark-MetaLiner,” which proposes a disruptive sub-wavelength, sound-absorbing material to reduce the environmental impact of aircraft on communities located in the vicinity of airports.

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Master's

Ashley Ahimbisibwe, a major at Notre Dame, will undertake a Master��of Science in at University College Dublin.

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Sarah Cate Baker, a and major at Notre Dame, will complete her Master��of Science in from Trinity College Dublin.

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David Gormley, who has a bachelor's degree in ��and is currently undertaking a master's in engineering in electronic and computer engineering��at University College Dublin, will complete the Engineering, Science��and Technology Entrepreneurship Excellence Masters () Program at the University of Notre Dame.

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Darragh Meaney, a major from University College Cork, will complete the ESTEEM program at Notre Dame.

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Odhran Reidy, an major from University College Cork, will complete the ESTEEM��program at Notre Dame.

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Sam O’Melveny, a major at Notre Dame, will pursue a Master��of Science in at Trinity College Dublin.

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Morgan Paladino, a major at Notre Dame, will undertake a Master��of Science in at Trinity College Dublin.

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Paul Shanahan, who has a bachelor's degree in and is currently undertaking a master's in��computer engineering, both from Trinity College Dublin, will complete the ESTEEM program at Notre Dame.

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Peadar Timmins, a major from University College Dublin, will complete the ESTEEM program at the University of Notre Dame.

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Undergraduate

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Emily Abramczyk, a major at Notre Dame, will complete undergraduate research in at Trinity College Dublin.

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Amanda Addiego, a biology major at Notre Dame, will undertake her undergraduate research in at University College Dublin.

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Luis Alberto Cañizares, a student at Dublin City University, will undertake his research experience in at Notre Dame.

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Leigh Campbell, a student at Notre Dame, will complete research in bioinformatics at Dublin City University.

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Michael Canonico, a major at Notre Dame, will undertake research in at Trinity College Dublin.

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Kiana Caranto, a chemical engineering major at Notre Dame, will research at University College Dublin.

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Eimear Conroy, a University College Dublin student in , will complete undergraduate research in nuclear physics at Notre Dame.

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Alfredo Duarte, an aerospace and mechanical engineering major at Notre Dame, will undertake research in mechanical and manufacturing engineering at Trinity College Dublin.

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John Fehilly, a University College Cork student, will undertake biology research at Notre Dame.

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Margueritta Goulden, an astrophysics student at Trinity College Dublin, will complete research in biology and physics at Notre Dame.

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Allison Huffman, a neuroscience and behavior major at Notre Dame, will complete research on neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin.

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Paula Murphy, a mechanical and manufacturing engineering student at Trinity College Dublin, will complete research in engineering at��Notre Dame.

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Robert Power, a University College Cork student, will study physics as part of his undergraduate research at Notre Dame.

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Muireann Spain, a student at University College Dublin, will undertake research at Notre Dame.

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Ciara Walsh, a Dublin City University student, will complete undergraduate research in biology at Notre Dame.

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Additionally, one Clark Fellowship was awarded to Bailey Jaeger, a neuroscience major from the University of Notre Dame, who will undertake her undergraduate research experience in�� at Trinity College Dublin.

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Finally, in consideration of the year’s activities, Baker thanked the members, stating, “Each year, our committee devotes many hours to making this program a success. I’d like to thank each of them for their time, commitment��and insights, but I’d like to especially thank , professor of chemistry and biochemistry, who volunteered his time to serve our future Naughton Fellows as an interviewer for the Masters Award. He provided invaluable assistance in selecting our new �������Ƿɲ�.”

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The Naughton Fellowship program allows students with a background in, or aptitude for,��STEM��fields to experience international research and educational opportunities through a funded exchange program involving the University of Notre Dame and some of Ireland’s leading research universities. Irish undergraduates, master's students��and Ph.D. candidates can come to Notre Dame on the fellowship, while Notre Dame undergraduates, master's students��and Ph.D. candidates can travel to Ireland to study and complete research.

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For more information, including how to apply, visit��.

Originally published by Joanne Fahey at on May 8.

Undergraduate, Masters, and Ph.D. students from Notre Dame and from five universities in Ireland received the fellowship.

Read more:.

Since 1937, Notre Dame has invested in nuclear physics, from building a preeminent lab on campus to contributing to research projects and resources.

Read more: .

The research fellowships were awarded to students from Notre Dame and from four universities in Ireland.

Read more: .

Scott Morris discusses the Turbomachinery Laboratory’s technical capabilities, collaborative atmosphere and future in a new video.

Read more: .

Researchers at FlowPAC are both developing their core strengths and adding a new focus on hypersonic aerodynamics.

Read more: http://research.nd.edu/news/63210-video-hypersonics-research-soars-to-new-heights-at-notre-dame/.

Faculty from Engineering and Arts and Letters have won the awards to research at the Rome Global Gateway.

Read more: http://research.nd.edu/news/63180-engineering-and-arts-and-letters-faculty-win-inaugural-rome-global-gateway-research-awards/.

The University of Notre Dame has received $133.7 million in research funding for fiscal year 2015. This is an all-time record for the University and $20 million more than last year.

“Our ongoing growth as a preeminent research university is being realized and recognized in many important ways — through projects and products that are making a real difference in the world, honors won by our faculty and the steady annual increases in funding from government agencies and other sponsors,” said , Notre Dame’s president. “This past year’s record-breaking total is a testament to the outstanding work being done by faculty across campus, as well as the support they are receiving from Bob Bernhard and his team in .”

Approximately 71.27 percent of all successful proposals came from federal funding, while 24.27 percent were from foundations and other sponsors and 4.46 percent from industrial sponsors. Among some of the largest awards:

• More than $6 million from the Microelectronics Advanced Research Corp. and the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) for continued support of the (LEAST), which is directed by professor .
• A $2.4 million grant to professor of the to study faith and flourishing at work from the Templeton Religion Trust.
• A $1.78 million award from the John Templeton Foundation to professors and from the Departments of Theology and Anthropology, respectively, to research human distinctiveness, including an associated summer seminar for theologians in evolutionary anthropology.
• More than $6.6 million from the Department of Energy to professor in the for continued research into radiation chemistry and photochemistry in the condensed phase and at interfaces. This project has been awarded more than $51 million since the current phase began in 2004.

In addition to these awards and others from the Colleges of , , and , faculty from the , the forthcoming and the contributed to the total as well.

Speaking about the record funding, , vice president for research, said, “The growth trajectory of research at Notre Dame is a direct result of the hard work and talent of our faculty. Together with their progressive vision for research at the University and unending search for meaning, truth and original discovery, Notre Dame Research continues to grow and develop as a force for good.”

For more information, visit or .

Twelve University of Notre Dame researchers, students from the and the , have been selected by the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) brand-new . They will travel to Brazil, Colombia, India and South Africa to research global development challenges and create innovative solutions to address these issues.

The University of Notre Dame is one of six universities selected by USAID’s new U.S. Global Development Lab to offer these fellowships, which are officially known as the . The (NDIGD) was selected to manage this fellowship for the University. The other successful universities include Arizona State University, Rutgers University, University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Davis and the University of Chicago.

Speaking about the program, , managing director of NDIGD, said, “I am thrilled that NDIGD has been selected amongst the six elite universities to manage this fellowship. This is a tremendous opportunity for Notre Dame students to develop their research and leadership skills as USAID �������Ƿɲ�.”

Partnering with host organizations in Brazil, Colombia, India and South Africa, the 12 Notre Dame students will be completing research projects throughout 2015 and 2016. The successful researchers and their research projects are as follows:

John Dillon, a Ph.D. student in the , will complete his research at IBM in Bangalore, India. He will be working on the IBM Smarter Education Initiative.

Elisa Ditta is working on her master’s degree in peace studies at the . Her research project is titled “Challenges for 91��Ƶs for a Culture of Peace in Post-Conflict Colombia” and will take place in Cartagena, Colombia.

Meghan Gallagher, a and the only undergraduate student to be selected, is currently a junior in political science and French. She will travel to Stellanbosch, South Africa, to undertake research on “Exploring Mobile Technologies and Applications to Advance Development Objectives.”

Craig Iffland, a Ph.D. student in the , will research “The Applicability of International Humanitarian Law in Contemporary Armed Conflict” in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Stefanie Israel will research “Comparative Ethnography of Pacified Favelas” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the and is also supported by the .

Emily Maiden, a and peace studies Ph.D. student, will undertake research on “,” a Kellogg Institute project, in Cape Town, South Africa.

Robert McCune will travel to Pretoria, South Africa, to complete research on a project titled “Measurement Metrics and Performance Evaluation of New Real Time Media Overlay Network Distribution Protocols.” He is currently a Ph.D. student in the .

Cecilia Lero, a Ph.D. student in political science, will research “Varieties of Democracy,” a Kellogg Institute project, in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Michael Penta will work on a research project titled “Research on the Network Effects of Pacification.” He is a current Ph.D. student in the Department of Sociology and is also supported by the Kellogg Institute.

Annette Ruth will travel to Bogota, Colombia, to complete research on “Zebrafish as an Animal Model to Study Trypanosoma Cruzi Motility.” She is a recent graduate of the Masters of Science in Global Health and is a current Ph.D. applicant in the .

Lucia Tiscornia, a political science Ph.D. student, will undertake research on the “Varieties of Democracy,” a Kellogg Institute Project, in Cape Town, South Africa.

Kelsey Whiting-Jones will participate in a research project called the “African Transitional Justice Study” in Cape Town, South Africa. She is currently a master’s student in peace studies at the Kroc Institute.

The research sites working with USAID to offer these opportunities are locally based organizations that have applied for graduate-level researchers to assist them in growing innovative solutions for global development challenges, with the hope of making a positive impact in communities around the world.

“Having on-the-ground researchers who can tackle global development challenges can truly make a difference to the lives of those in developing countries, and NDIGD is uniquely placed to deliver this,” said , vice president for research at the University of Notre Dame. Bernhard continued, “This type of translational research coincides well with the mission of the University to be a powerful means for doing good in the world.”

NDIGD is working to build a just and equitable world by connecting faculty to corporate and governmental partners, training researchers, providing fellowship and research opportunities, and measuring the impact of global development initiatives worldwide.

Contact: Joya Helmuth, NDIGD outreach associate, jhelmuth@nd.edu

The University of Notre Dame received $113 million in research awards for fiscal year 2014, the highest ever recorded at the University in a non-stimulus year and a $17 million increase over the previous year.

Notre Dame received $119 million in 2010, but approximately $30 million was from government stimulus grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“We have made a commitment to become a pre-eminent research institution, and I am pleased that even in an incredibly competitive market our researchers are rightly claiming their place among the world’s best,” said president of the University. “As we continue to grow and expand, I look forward to seeing the increasing impact Notre Dame’s faculty and students will make through research that is making a difference in our world.”

Out of the successful proposals, approximately 52 percent of the funding was awarded by the federal government for research, facilities and equipment, and educational and service programs. Awards from industrial sponsors represented 14 percent of the total awards, with 34 percent sponsored by foundations and other sponsors. Among the awards:

• $23 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fight malaria and dengue fever through research into the effectiveness of spatial repellency in mosquito control.
• A five-year, $10 million grant from the National Nuclear Security Administration to support the .
• Over $8 million from the John Templeton Foundation for a number of research initiatives, such as , which will see the Department of Philosophy explore religious and transformative experiences.
• A $12 million continuation grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for the Energy Frontier Research Center to continue research on actinide materials at the nanoscale, which will support future nuclear energy systems that may create more energy with less waste.

In addition, Notre Dame also won awards from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, Lilly Endowment, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Institutes of Health, USAID and many others.

Speaking about the funding during a event in Indianapolis last weekend, Vice President for Research said, “Our recent success in growing our research profile is due to the strong vision and incredible hard work of our faculty. Notre Dame faculty have been successful in an increasingly competitive research environment. These grants enable our faculty and students to work on interesting and important questions and we see many other interesting opportunities emerging as well.”

Contact:: Joanne D. Fahey, research communications program director